


Worker's Rights

by themadlurker



Category: Merlin (BBC)
Genre: Anachronistic, Community: camelot_fleet, Friendship, Gen, trade unions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-12
Updated: 2010-10-12
Packaged: 2017-10-13 22:57:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/142645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themadlurker/pseuds/themadlurker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gwen and Merlin come to realize the benefits of collective bargaining.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worker's Rights

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 10-minute challenge at [](http://camelot-fleet.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**camelot_fleet**](http://camelot-fleet.dreamwidth.org/), although it ended up taking much longer: [](http://sophinisba.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**sophinisba**](http://sophinisba.dreamwidth.org/) prompted me to write something about Gwen and Merlin commiserating about the people they work for. No spoilers for season 3 events, but it was written to fit in with the general feel of the new season.

"I think we should form a union," Gwen announced out of the blue one day.

Merlin was tucked discreetly away behind a curtain in her house to spare any chance passersby the sight of him sitting there half-naked while his clothes dried out in front of the fire. He lifted his head out of the tub he'd been using to wash the dung out of his hair and tried to shake some of the water out of his ears.

"Sorry, we should form a what?"

"A union," Gwen repeated. "It's something out of the latest pamphlet being circulated in the lower town. It's all about strength in numbers and how the ruling classes—"

"—what's a ruling class?"

"I think it just means Uther. And probably Arthur and Morgana as well."

"Oh, right. They _would_ be in a class all their own," Merlin muttered darkly.

"—can't get away with treating workers as badly if we stand together. Like the knights refusing to go out on more than one Improbably Lethal Quest per month."

Merlin pondered this for a while. "Didn't Uther just execute Sir Egremore for that suggestion?"

Gwen looked briefly troubled by the reminder. "I think the idea was that, if we organize ourselves properly, the ruling class wouldn't be able to kill _all_ of us."

"That doesn't seem very comforting for the ones who do get executed," Merlin said, thinking that in all probability, it would just be everyone. "So, uh, who would be in this... union... thing?"

"Just you and me for now," Gwen said brightly. "Though I was thinking maybe one or two of Uther's servants might like to join as well, if it worked out."

That didn't sound too bad. "So it would be a sort of Working for Royal Prats Club?"

Gwen smiled. "I was thinking of calling it the Servants Against Inhuman Treatment Union. Just for those of us who have no other recourse for getting snapped at for doing our jobs—"

"—or being pushed into mud puddles—"

"—or thrown out of her rooms—"

"—or used as an archery target—"

" _Exactly._ "

Gwen and Merlin's eyes met with a look of complete understanding.

"Is there a membership fee?" Merlin asked.

"Can you distract Morgana while I sneak clean linens into her room?"

"Will you come smile at Arthur while I tell him his favourite sword met with an accident?"

They grinned conspiratorially.

"Welcome to the Servants Against Inhuman Treatment Union, Merlin."

"I still think it needs 'Royal Prats' in the title."


End file.
